DAVOS: As he invited “international friends” to visit China on Tuesday, Vice Premier Liu He stated that China has returned to normal following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.
After three years of enforcing some of the strictest anti-pandemic restrictions in the world, China abruptly abandoned its “zero-Covid” strategy last month.
Authorities revealed on Saturday that almost 60,000 Covid-related deaths had been reported in just over a month as a result of the move, which resulted in an epidemic of infections that clogged hospitals and overwhelmed funeral homes.
However, Liu stated that the transition “has overall been stable and smooth” to the global elite gathering in Davos, Switzerland.
“It has taken a relatively short amount of time to reach the peak (of infections) and return to normal. It has exceeded our expectations in some ways,” he stated.
According to Liu, the tourism sector and the food and beverage industry had begun to return to normal, with five billion trips anticipated during China’s Lunar New Year celebration, which begins this weekend.
He stated, “Things have completely returned to normal.”
He added, “The main problem right now is the elderly and people with underlying conditions.” We are currently attempting to resolve this issue.
In China, millions of elderly people are not fully immunized, and President Xi Jinping’s administration has been criticized for not prioritizing vaccination campaigns for the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.
Following the removal of quarantine requirements for foreign arrivals last week, Liu also urged foreigners to visit China.
Friends from other countries are most welcome to visit China. The best service will be provided by us. Of course, we need some time to transition right now on some issues, but overall, there is already no problem,” he stated.
